


You're the Best Friend I've Ever Had

by churkey



Series: Sterek Bingo 2020 [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, American Sign Language, Derek Hale is a Softie, Fluff, Full Shift Werewolves, Good Alpha Derek Hale, Growing Up Together, M/M, Mates, Pack Feels, Sterek Bingo 2020, Warning: Kate Argent, Werewolf Mates, Young Derek Hale, Young Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Young Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-15
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24199141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/churkey/pseuds/churkey
Summary: This is the story of a boy and his dog, Sourwolf. Coincidentally, it's also the story of Derek and Stiles.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Series: Sterek Bingo 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1732879
Comments: 14
Kudos: 371
Collections: Sterek Favorites (short and adorable)





	You're the Best Friend I've Ever Had

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't write this *for* Sterek Bingo, but it fit two of the squares really well (Full-Shift Wolves and Childhood Friends).
> 
> I tagged 'underage' because while they don't have sex when they're minors, there is some discussion about it -- when they're *both* minors.
> 
> Also, I probably didn't include enough grieving stuff re: Derek and his family. But it wasn't meant to be the focus of the fic.
> 
> I also didn't include Scott because it was easier not to.

Stiles is ten years old when the Hale fire kills one of the most prominent families in Beacon Hills.

He’s also ten years old when he finds an older boy hiding out in the preserve.

Stiles is playing alone because he has no friends.

He used to have one but then he moved away. None of the other kids like him because he talks too much and is super annoying.

It’s only been a few weeks since the fire and his dad is working a lot. He’s a deputy and he needs to investigate the fire. Stiles doesn’t mind because he knows his dad is a hero.

He prefers his dad to be out helping people than sitting at home and drinking. Something he’s done every night since his mom died last year.

It’s the crying that catches his attention.

When he finds the boy, he looks weird with glowing red eyes and fangs and claws.

It’s kind of the most awesome thing to happen to Stiles in a really long time.

“Hey. Did something bad happen? My mom died last year and it’s why I cry too much,” Stiles says.

The boy spins around, eyes wide.

“Your eyes are _so cool_. I wish I had glowing eyes. It’s a very pretty red. You know, red is totally my favourite colour. Are you alone? Do you want to play?” Stiles knows he’s talking too much but, as always, he can’t stop himself.

The boy inhales and is suddenly hugging Stiles, face buried in his throat.

Stiles is pretty thrilled since it’s been a really long time since anyone hugged him. He wraps his arms around the other boy and squeezes.

They stand that way for a long time.

When the boy finally pulls away, his face is normal and he _still_ has the prettiest eyes Stiles has ever seen, “Wow. You have the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen. My name is Stiles.”

“Derek.”

“So… do you want to play? You can come over and play videogames if you want,” Stiles offers.

“I can’t. The lady who killed my family will kill me too,” Derek whispers.

“Someone killed your family? Like _all_ of them?” Stiles asks, horrified, “Wait. Are you Derek Hale? My dad is the deputy investigating the fire, he’ll totally help you!”

Derek shakes his head, “She killed my family because we’re werewolves. It’s a secret. No one can know. I’m afraid of her. She was my substitute and she touched me and I didn’t like it so I answered her questions so she’d let me go and then she set my house on fire. And they’re all dead now. It’s my fault,” he starts crying.

“No, Derek. No. My dad told me about stranger danger. He said if it ever happened that I shouldn’t be ashamed because it wasn’t my fault and then I should tell an adult right away. And you have to believe him because he’s a cop,” Stiles sternly said.

“Really?” Derek sounded hopeful.

“Really really. I could hide you in my house? My dad isn’t around a lot and when he is, he’s drunk. He won’t notice. You could be my new best friend!” Stiles was totally getting excited because this was the best idea _ever_.

“You want to be my friend? I’m the alpha now, maybe you could be my pack?” Derek asked his eyes glowing that pretty colour again.

“Like, you want me to join your werewolf pack? That’s the coolest thing _ever_. Um. What does it mean? Is it like a gang, because my dad wouldn’t like that,” Stiles said.

“My family was my pack. My mom was the alpha and since everyone else is dead, I am. That’s why I have red eyes. Pack is like… family but more. It means we’ll be together, forever. The alpha is the leader. I can turn you into a werewolf, if you want. You don’t have to. You can be my beta either way,” Derek explained.

“How old are you?” Stiles asked.

“What? I’m thirteen.”

“I guess if you’re older and the alpha, you can be the leader. But I’m not going to do everything you say! I don’t know if I want to be a werewolf. Can I decide later?”

Derek nodded, “Just ask if you want to be one. My mom said that a good alpha doesn’t boss their betas around. They should love and protect their pack so that everyone is happy and works together.”

“That sounds okay. How do we do this?” Stiles wanted to know. It’d been a long, lonely year. His mom had died and his dad didn’t care about him anymore. He wanted a friend who wouldn’t move away or leave him.

“I just have to pretend to bite your neck,” Derek said nervously.

Stiles looked suspicious but then tilted his head. Derek leaned forward and inhaled, fangs extending. He gently bit without breaking skin.

Both boys felt the warm pulse of a new pack bond.

“Wow! What _is_ that?” Stiles flailed with excitement.

“It’s our pack bond. This way, even when we aren’t together, you know I’m always with you,” Derek said.

“This totally means you have to come live with me. I’ll find a way to convince my dad. He’ll feel sorry for you. They don’t know anyone survived the fire.”

“We can’t! If they know Derek Hale is alive, they’ll kill me too. And you, since you’re my pack. But maybe…” Derek trailed off.

Stiles watched in amazement as Derek’s body twisted until there was a large, Black puppy in front of him.

“You are seriously the _coolest_. But I can work with this. My dad will totally let me have a dog,” Stiles crowed.

* * *

Stiles decided to be sneaky about it.

“Son, where did this dog come from?” his dad asked when he finally noticed Derek.

“Um, you don’t remember? You said I could have a puppy a few nights ago. Then brought him home with all his stuff,” Stiles went for his best innocent look.

“A few nights ago…” his dad trailed off.

Stiles knew he was remembering that he’d been _very_ drunk that night. More so than usual. He’d been mean but it was how Stiles knew it was the right night to pick. His dad never remembered what he said on nights like that.

If he did, Stiles was sure he’d apologize for being mean.

He watched as his dad noticed the food and water dishes. The doggy bed in the corner. The leash hanging on the doorknob.

It hadn’t been easy getting all the things he needed. But he’d done it.

“I see… Well, you have to make sure you take very good care of him. What did you name him?” his dad asked.

Stiles beamed, “His name is Sourwolf. Because he’s grumpy and looks like a wolf!”

Noah Stilinski looked at his smiling kid – the first real smiles he’d seen since Claudia died – and knew he couldn’t take the dog away. Not when Stiles was finally smiling.

* * *

Stiles and Sourwolf became a common sight around the neighbourhood. If the boy wasn’t in school, then he was out playing with his dog.

Pretty much everyone was charmed by the pair of them.

Sourwolf was friendly enough but really only played with Stiles, being largely uninterested in other people.

It was also adorable how the boy talked to the dog like he was a real person. Asking questions and waiting for answers.

* * *

Having Stiles – his _beta_ – was good. It _was_.

But Derek couldn’t help the time he spent staring off into the distance, lost in memories of his family. Stiles would come home and find him crying.

In some ways, it was a relief to just be a wolf all day.

He was still _Derek_ but he couldn’t cry that way. It just meant that Stiles would come home to find him curled on his bed whimpering.

He’d sometimes have to shift to his human-shape because the urge to howl for his pack, for his _alpha_ would be so _strong_. But he couldn’t howl. Not now.

It hurt _so much_.

* * *

Stiles was taking Derek on a walk, they did this a lot since it was the only way Derek could leave the house. Stiles spent as much time as he could in the preserve, away from people. But they didn’t always have time.

“I don’t like Jackson. He’s always mean to me at school. I try to ignore him but it’s hard sometimes, you know?” Stiles was telling Derek.

He waited until Derek whined and gave a small growl.

“Yeah, I know. What he thinks doesn’t matter. And, no, you can’t eat him,” Stiles replied.

Derek huffed in reply.

“Me too. I wish I could take you to school with me,” Stiles said.

* * *

Stiles’ dad was particularly happy that the dog received most of Stiles’ chatter and attention. He also seemed to work out a lot of his excess energy by running around the preserve with Sourwolf.

He wasn’t an easy kid.

Noah was probably unfairly surprised that Stiles took such good care of his dog. Being too drunk to remember agreeing to a dog was a wake-up call. He also noticed that Stiles had been picking up a lot of the slack around the house.

He came home sometimes and heard Stiles explaining his homework to Sourwolf. It seemed to help him focus and his grades were better than ever.

He worried, occasionally, about the fact that Stiles had no friends but was ultimately glad the kid wasn’t alone. Even if it was just his dog keeping him company.

* * *

Derek was pretty okay with how things were. He didn’t like pretending to be a dog. He was a wolf! And from a good family!

It helped that Stiles didn’t treat him like a dog. Regardless of what shape Derek was in, Stiles spoke to him like a person.

Stiles was also being good and teaching Derek what he learned in school. Stiles was a few years younger so he’d already learned a lot of it but it would be useful in a few years.

He did get to spend time in his human shape. Mostly when the Sheriff wasn’t around. It sucked that he couldn’t go outside in his human shape but he was mostly too afraid anyway.

The best times were when he and Stiles were alone and he could be in his human-shape. It happened a lot, since the sheriff worked all the time.

* * *

“You know what we should do?” Stiles asked.

Derek hummed. He tried not to talk too much even when he was human-shaped. Stiles was always worried that his dad would come into the house and hear Derek talking. Derek always said he would hear but agreed it was better to be safe.

Derek hadn’t ever been the most talkative kid, not like Stiles, but saving up everything he wanted to say while he was wolf-shaped made him talk more when he was human-shaped.

“We should learn sign language! This way you can talk without making noise!” Stiles said with excitement.

For a kid a few years younger than him, Stiles was _really_ smart. It was the _perfect_ solution.

So they learned. It took a while but they were motivated.

Derek found it easier, somehow, to use his hands for talking. Stiles still mostly talked out loud, since his dad was used to Stiles talking to Sourwolf and it’d be weird if he suddenly stopped.

* * *

Stiles hated how sad Derek got sometimes. It happened a lot. He understood, of course. Derek’s family had been big and they were all dead.

He’d only lost his mom and it still made him sad.

He wanted Derek to be happy.

On days when he was feeling really sad, Stiles would build a blanket fort in his room. He’d make Derek go inside and they’d cuddle for hours. Sometimes Derek would silently cry. Sometimes he’d just be very still and very quiet.

Stiles usually cried if Derek cried.

* * *

Derek was taking a shower when he heard the cruiser pull up to the house. He quickly shut off the water and shifted.

He spent a lot of time naked. Derek was too big for Stiles’ clothes and he needed to be able to shift at a moment’s notice. He practiced all the time to make sure he could do it _really_ fast.

He went down the stairs to greet the sheriff. He liked the sheriff okay. Derek thought it was strange that he spent so little time at home. In his house there’d _always_ been someone around. But then he’d had a big family.

The thought had him whining as the sheriff entered.

“Aw, hi, pup! I missed you too,” the sheriff got on one knee and gave Derek some rough pats that had his tail wagging.

Sometimes the sheriff was okay.

* * *

Derek knew that feeding a werewolf could be expensive and the Stilinskis didn’t have a lot of money – he also _refused_ to eat dog food because it was gross. He snuck out one night and went to the family vault to get some money.

He gave it to Stiles.

“Dude, this has to be like a _million_ dollars! Where did you get all of this? You didn’t rob a bank, did you?” Stiles flailed around.

Derek signed back, **Don’t be ridiculous. I got this from my family’s vault. It’s expensive to feed a werewolf.**

“Hey! We might not be rich but we can handle it. It hasn’t been a problem,” Stiles said.

Derek didn’t like that he smelled hurt, **I’m your alpha. It’s part of my job to take care of you.**

Stiles’ scent changed to something warm and pleased, the way it normally did when Derek reminded him about pack. The way it especially did when Derek did something to take care of him.

“Okay, fine. But don’t forget that we’re pack and that means I can take care of you too,” Stiles said.

**Totally. You already do. A lot. This is one of the ways I can help.** Derek told him.

It got him a hug. Which was awesome because hugging his beta was one of his favourite things.

* * *

Stiles honestly thought that finding Derek in the preserve had been the best thing that ever happened to him.

It’s been two years since he discovered that werewolves were real – which remained the _coolest_ thing _ever_. But also two years since he’d gained a best friend and alpha.

After all this time, the alpha part wasn’t even weird. It helped that Derek wasn’t super bossy. Stiles took care of him as much as he took care of Stiles.

School mostly sucked because he couldn’t take Derek with him. Otherwise, they spent all of their time together. Having a cuddle-buddy for whenever he felt sad (or happy) was seriously awesome.

His dad didn’t drink as much or as often but he still worked all the time. He hadn’t ever been the super affectionate parent – that had been his mom. Stiles couldn’t remember the last time his dad hugged him. Once in a while, he got a shoulder squeeze or his dad ruffled his hair.

He missed dad-hugs.

“You give the best hugs. I’m not sure if I like them more than wolf snuggles. You’re just so soft and fluffy,” Stiles mumbled into Derek’s shoulder.

**I’m the alpha. Alphas aren’t soft and fluffy.** Derek growled as he signed.

“Oh, right, sorry. You’re soft and fluffy and ferocious,” Stiles said with a teasing tone.

Derek growled louder and started tickling Stiles’ sides.

“Foul! Not fair,” Stiles shrieked with laughter.

**It’ll teach you to respect your alpha!** Derek signed, now smiling brightly with amusement.

When they settled down, Stiles told Derek, “I know you’re not a puppy. It must suck to have to pretend. I hope you don’t think I’m treating you like one when I say you’re soft and fluffy.”

It made Stiles sad. He tried to never treat Derek like he was an actual dog, not unless he really had to because there were other people around. He knew Derek hated it when other people did it. Stiles thought it must suck to never go outside as a person.

He was just happy that after enough time of Derek being really really really well-behaved, his dad didn’t insist on the leash. He _should_ because he was the sheriff but he mostly left it alone.

Derek thought the collar was bad enough.

_“Mieczyslaw,”_ Derek whispered, brows drawn together. A thousand emotions communicated with his name alone.

Stiles was always impressed with how much Derek could say with just his name and eyebrows.

He always signed. These days, Stiles only heard his voice when Derek said his name.

Every time he said it, it felt like a secret.

In a way, it _was_ a secret because Stiles had told Derek his real name.

Before, only his mom had used it because it was hard to pronounce. Stiles had taught Derek because he was his best friend and alpha. Shouldn’t he know Stiles’ real name?

* * *

The worst thing to happen since the fire was Stiles going through puberty. Because he suddenly smelled like _mate_ and Derek didn’t know how to handle it.

He wasn’t _that_ much older than Stiles but they were both really young.

Derek thought that before he probably wouldn’t have told anyone and tried to figure it out on his own.

But Stiles was his beta (and maybe his mate) and, really, the only person Derek could talk to.

He wasn’t going to be a bad alpha and keep secrets.

So he told Stiles.

**Stiles,** he started, **I have something to tell you.**

“Okay. And I can tell from your eyebrows that this is something serious,” Stiles said.

**It is. I was too young for my mom to tell me more but she told me that sometimes wolves found a special person. They would smell better than anyone else and our instincts would tell us that this person was the best person. That, if we found this person, they’d be our mate.** Derek told him.

“Mate? Like in urban fantasy novels or fanfiction?” Stiles asked.

**Kind of. Not quite like that. It isn’t destiny. There’s more than one possible person. There is a special bond, though.** Derek hoped he was doing an okay job of explaining.

“Okay. That’s cool, I guess. Um… why are you telling me?”

**I’m pretty sure you’re my mate,** this was the part that made Derek nervous.

_“Awesome,”_ Stiles breathed, “I already decided two years ago that I wanted to marry you.”

**What.**

“I know I was like twelve or whatever. It’s not like I was thinking about sex or whatever. But my mom told me that she married my dad because he was her best friend. You’re my best friend, so it made sense to me that we should get married. Um–” Stiles paused as he started to blush “–obviously I’m a bit older and understand that being married is about a lot more than that. It hasn’t changed my mind.”

Derek listened to Stiles’ elevated but steady heart. He was a little embarrassed but mostly excited.

**That’s… good. Um, I think we’re both a little too young for mating. Especially the sex parts. But maybe in a few years?** Derek said. He could feel himself blushing.

“Y-yeah. That’s cool. Like, I love you and stuff but I’m totally not ready for that. Waiting is cool. Super cool,” Stiles said.

They sat there blushing for a few long, awkward moments.

* * *

Stiles wasn’t sure, exactly, when he started noticing things about Derek.

He thinks it started when he was thirteen and was suddenly getting boners all the time.

Derek spent a lot of the time he was alone exercising. So, at sixteen, he looked, well, _amazing_. He was still lean and growing into himself but all his muscles were like super defined.

He also was getting chest hair and had a beard shadow by five.

He also was naked _all the time_. Because while he’d been bigger before, Stiles hadn’t had his first growth spurt and even his baggiest clothes were way too small for Derek.

Stiles found himself one day looking at Derek. At the flex of his muscles. His pretty eyes. The way his dorky ears suddenly didn’t look so dorky.

And then he got a boner.

It would’ve been embarrassing if he and Derek had anything resembling normal boundaries.

Stiles was a modern boy and knew all about jerking off and sex and stuff.

He figured Derek did that when he was at school.

But now that he wanted to, Derek was _always_ there. He couldn’t go anywhere else. Plus he could smell it.

Stiles had stopped being embarrassed about that stuff years ago.

So when he wanted to jerk off, he made Derek sit outside of his room. Or go into the yard. They both knew what was happening.

Finding out that he was Derek’s mate was _literally_ the best thing ever.

If Stiles was embarrassed about anything, it wasn’t the fantasies about Derek he jerked off to, but his fantasies about doing silly, romantic things with him.

Like holding Derek’s hand when they walked down the street. Or making Derek dinner. Or Derek making him dinner. Like marrying Derek and getting to tell everyone that _he_ was his _husband_.

It was so _awesome_ finding out that Derek thought he smelled like the best thing ever and that he wanted to be with Stiles forever. They shared a pack bond and Stiles already knew that they’d always be together but now they’d be _together_ together.

He wasn’t super happy that Derek said he’d have to wait until he was sixteen for them to mate. But he understood. He remembered what Kate Argent had done. He knew the laws about consent and age. They weren’t doing a human thing but Stiles kind of figured that if he were Derek’s age having sex with a fourteen-year-old would be _gross_.

So he was happy to wait.

Everyone who knew Stiles knew that he pushed at boundaries. But Derek was his alpha and while he was pretty chill about the whole thing, Stiles knew when it was a bad idea to push.

It’d been years since they had a real fight but Stiles remembered how it felt when they did. He didn’t want to go through that again.

Early on, Stiles hadn’t really understood the whole alpha thing. Derek said he wasn’t the boss of Stiles and he took that a little too much to heart. So when Derek had told him that he couldn’t do something and it was the alpha’s order, Stiles did it anyway.

He’d always thought that his dad’s disappointed face was the Worst Thing Ever but it didn’t even come close to Derek’s. Or how the bond _ached_ with it. Derek had gotten mad. All red-eyed and growling. It had been a little scary but it was the way that their bond ached that really impacted Stiles.

He might be what Jackson called a ‘pushy little shit’ but he didn’t actually want to hurt anyone. He especially didn’t want to hurt and disappoint Derek. Not when it made Derek feel like _that_ (not when it made _him_ feel like this but mostly because of Derek).

So he waited. Didn’t push Derek (because consent was important! and Derek had already said no). It wasn’t the easiest thing considering he lived with the hottest person _ever_ and he was naked _all the time._

But Derek didn’t mind if he looked, as long as he didn’t do anything while Derek was in the room. Stiles _liked_ it when he caught Derek looking. It wasn’t much in the early days, Derek had been more obsessed with his scent. But as he got older, he caught Derek looking more and more.

Stiles understood. He’d had a growth spurt and wasn’t much shorter than Derek. He looked young but he didn’t look like a kid anymore.

* * *

Stiles was seventeen when they finally mated.

Derek had been pleasantly surprised. He’d thought that Stiles would jump him the moment he turned sixteen, which was the earliest Derek was willing to do it.

Instead they took it slowly. Gradually letting their friendship grow and change into something romantic.

Waited until it _felt_ right, rather than obeying some arbitrary deadline.

There was nothing inherently special about the day itself. They’d spent the afternoon running around in the preserve and had collapsed in one of their favourite clearings.

It was deep enough and off enough trails that Derek could risk being human-shaped.

The sun had been shining and Stiles’ eyes sparkled. He leaned in for a kiss and the world _shifted_.

Derek hadn’t actually known how the whole mating thing worked. They’d both guessed it would involve sex.

This didn’t turn out to be the case. Or maybe you _could_ mate at a particular time if it was during sex. He honestly didn’t know.

But he’d kissed Stiles and they both were gasping a moment later as a new bond snapped into place between them.

Just like that, Derek had a mate.

Easily the best day of his life.

* * *

“So…” Stiles began, “I’m going to need to start applying for college soon. I figure I’ll take Sourwolf with me, who’ll then die an unfortunate death, but I’ll meet an amazing guy named Derek, sound good?”

**Yes. I like that a lot.** Derek growled as he signed, thrilled at the notion that he’d be able to _be_ with Stiles in public. That he wouldn’t have to pretend to be a dog anymore.

**I don’t think I could do a city. Not yet. It’s been too long since I’ve been around people.** Derek signed.

“Yeah… that’s fair. We’ll have to do a soft reintroduction. Get you used to talking and dealing with people again. Especially since I’m not the most normal example of human behaviour. Even less so since joining your pack and having you as my only friend,” Stiles said.

**I don’t want to hold you back. Stop you from going to a good school.** Derek frowned.

“You won’t. I’m honestly not all that interested in going to the Best School Ever. This is your territory, right?” Stiles asked and Derek nodded, "So that means we’ll be coming back. I don’t need a degree from Harvard to get a good job in Beacon Hills. It would be a waste of time and money. Don’t give me that look, I know we have a lot. Still no point.

“Plus, there are loads of good schools in smaller college towns that are surrounded by lots of nature for you to run around in. Like the University of Oregon in Eugene. Or the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Or, hell, if I want an Ivy League school I could try Cornell or Yale. Not that I want to go to a school like that.”

**If you’re sure.** Derek signed.

“Of course, I am. You’re my mate and alpha. You’ll always be the most important thing in my life,” Stiles said.

* * *

Derek was _really_ happy. It was _finally_ the day when he could stop pretending to be a dog all the time.

He and Stiles had been planning for this day for a long time. Stiles had used dubious contacts he’d stolen from the sheriff’s department and secured Derek a fake ID. Derek had taken a few million from his family’s vault and put them into a bank account. Stiles was eighteen and just finished high school.

Stiles was moving away for college. But he was leaving early.

Stiles still wasn’t a werewolf. They’d discussed him getting the bite and they both decided to wait, at least, until Stiles wasn’t living at home.

Soon enough, they wouldn’t be.

They settled on the University of Oregon in Eugene, since they’d both been accepted. Derek had spent his abundant free time getting his new identity a GED so he’d be able to attend college with Stiles.

Lots of forest around there. And college towns were usually exempt from pack territories. Derek also had vague memories that his mom had been allied with the alpha of the surrounding territories, so that there wouldn’t be any major problems.

* * *

Stiles had tried to convince his dad that he could move to Eugene without help. Just him and Sourwolf. But his dad had insisted. It’d made things difficult. He’d had to find a shared house that accepted pets, even though they’d already bought a house with a few forested acres of land not too far outside of the town.

He also knew that Derek was eager to shed his fur and rejoin human society. Well, okay, maybe not the human society part but Derek wanted to be able to go outside. Hold Stiles’ hand. Go on dates.

They had just finished unloading all of Stiles’ stuff into his ‘new’ place. It was going to be annoying to move all the stuff again. But he’d have Derek’s werewolf strength to make it a _lot_ easier.

“Okay, son. Looks like we’re finished. I can’t believe you’re moving out and attending college. I feel like it was only yesterday that you were playing in the mud,” his dad said with a sheen in his eyes.

“Oh my god, dad. I was doing _science_. I never did anything as undignified as play in the mud and I resent the implication that I would’ve,” Stiles said with great offence in his tone.

“Sure, kid,” his dad said fondly. He knelt down to give Sourwolf a few rough pats, “You take care of Stiles, okay? Keep him out of trouble.”

“Rude! Half the time _he’s_ the one getting me into trouble,” Stiles protested.

“Really? You’re going to blame the dog?” his dad said.

They gave each other a few more hugs and then his dad was driving away.

Pretty much the next day, Stiles regretfully told his roommates that he’d found somewhere better to live. And _of course_ he’d pay for the month. They hadn’t cared.

* * *

Two months into his college experience Stiles called his dad, “Hey, dad?”

_“Hey, kiddo.”_

“I met this really awesome guy. His name is Derek and I think I’m in love! He’s a few years older but is a freshman too”

_“That’s great. Don’t let your grades drop!”_

“I won’t.”

* * *

Halfway through his second semester he called his dad crying, “Sourwolf got hit by a car. He’s _dead_.”

_“Oh, Stiles. I’m sorry.”_

“He was my best friend. What am I going to do?”

_“It’ll be okay. You have me and Derek don’t you?”_

“I do. I have to go.”

_“Call me tomorrow or I’ll be coming up to see you.”_

“Okay. Bye.”

* * *

Faking Sourwolf’s death hadn’t been easy for Stiles. He wasn’t much for acting so he’d had to force himself to imagine how he’d feel if Derek really _did_ die.

It’d led to hours of crying in Derek’s arms. Clinging because he _couldn’t_ deal with the thought of losing his alpha and mate.

Stiles didn’t understand how Derek had survived losing his family.

Derek had said that _he’d_ given him a reason to keep going. That Stiles had saved him.

It’d only led to a lot more crying on both their parts.

* * *

Derek and Stiles usually signed when they were in public. If necessary, Stiles would speak for Derek. Or Derek would write what he wanted to say down.

It had been necessary after the first few attempts they’d made when Derek was able to be around people again. He just wasn’t used to using his voice. He tended to be abrupt when talking, making him sound angry and aggressive. Combined with his beard, broad shoulders, muscular build, and foreboding eyebrows, it put a lot of people off. Especially when combined with the aura he exuded as an alpha werewolf.

Most people didn’t know about werewolves but they responded to the presence of a predator amongst them. They’d move out of Derek’s way when he walked down the street. Never crowd him, even if there was little space.

Stiles found it fascinating to watch. Especially because Derek never made him feel anything but safe and loved.

After some discussion, they decided Derek being mute would also help disguise him. Werewolves tended to always to be in peak health and rarely had permanent disabilities. Hunters were a lot less likely to peg a person who couldn’t talk as an alpha werewolf.

Derek didn’t mind. After years of not talking, he found it difficult. He preferred signing.

* * *

Stiles brought Derek home for the summer. They obviously weren’t going to be separated. They weren’t worried about him being recognized. The last time anyone had seen Derek Hale, he’d been thirteen. At twenty-one he was big and broad. He had a _beard_ (an amazingly _soft_ beard). His eyes were pretty distinctive – central heterochromia wasn’t common – but few people would link that to his previous life.

Introducing Derek to his dad had been… interesting.

* * *

“Hey, dad, this is Derek. My boyfriend,” Stiles said when he got home, “He doesn’t have any family and didn’t have anywhere to go for the summer. So, um, I invited him. He’ll be getting an apartment in town.”

“I see,” Noah said, eyes narrowed at Derek, “It’s nice to meet you, Derek.”

Derek smiled and nodded and they shook hands. Noah noted that Derek didn’t say anything.

“What are your intentions for my son?” Noah asked.

Noah watched as Derek signed something he didn’t understand.

Stiles spoke up with a blush across his cheeks, “Um… he says that his intention is to love and take care of me.”

“He doesn’t talk? Can he hear?” Noah asked Stiles.

“ _Dad_ , he can hear and he’s _right_ here. Don’t talk about him like he isn’t,” Stiles scolded him.

“Right, sorry. I suppose I’m obligated to say that if you hurt–”

“Nope! We aren’t doing that. I’m not your property and my choices are my own. If Derek hurts me – not that he will – then that’s just life,” Stiles interrupted.

“Fine. Fine. But this is still my place and you’ll leave your door open when he’s over,” Noah told Stiles.

“About that… I’ll be living with Derek,” Stiles said.

“Aren’t you a little young to be moving in with your boyfriend?” he asked Stiles.

“No, not really. I’m an adult now and what you just said made it clear you had no intention of treating me like one,” Stiles shrugged.

Noah was surprised. He’d missed Stiles while he’d been at school, of course. But he hadn’t felt like he’d lost his kid until this moment.

* * *

They made their triumphant return to Beacon Hills after they graduated, already married. Not that they told anyone about that part. Stiles still hadn’t taken the bite and they were both fine with that. But both of them wanted the legal protections offered by marriage.

As much as Derek wished he could’ve built their house over his old one in the preserve, it would’ve been way too obvious.

Instead they had a small one at the edge of the preserve. He’d have liked to build a big one for the pack they were growing but that would’ve been too conspicuous in town. A bunch of adults didn’t move in together.

After careful consideration, Derek had bitten Boyd, Erica, and Isaac. Who’d embraced being wolves and pack life in a way that made Derek proud to be an alpha.

The new wolves had all eventually learned ASL but Stiles had been amazed at how much Derek could communicate with scent, growls, and body language. This, more than anything, is what tempted him about the bite. He wanted to communicate with Derek like that. He already kind of did. Their years together had created a private, shared language of facial expressions and gestures. Stiles was even reasonably good at interpreting growls.

They had a strong, if small, pack. It was good and they were happy.

* * *

“It’s hard to believe that this is where we ended up, after meeting in the woods. You were a scary monster, I was a young innocent child. Obviously a match made in heaven,” Stiles said.

_“Mieczyslaw”_ Derek growled.

Even after all this time, it felt like a secret, like a caress whenever Derek said his name. It filled Stiles with a warm glow.

“Okay, okay. You weren’t a scary monster. I was young and innocent though,” Stiles defended.

Derek arched an eyebrow.

“You suck. Fine. I was a child, happy now?” Stiles grumped.

Derek gave him a small smile.

“I don’t know what my life would’ve been like without you but I doubt I would’ve been as happy as I am now. I love you, sourwolf,” Stiles said.

“I love you,” Derek whispered back.

He spoke so rarely these days but Stiles loved his voice. How it was just for him. How Derek found it so hard to speak but ‘I love you’ always slipped so smoothly from his lips.

They’d found each other when they’d both needed someone the most.

They’d barely spent a moment apart since.

All Stiles had ever wanted before he met Derek was a friend. Just one. One friend he could share everything with.

He’d found the best one.


End file.
